Queen Nonie Brown and King Edgar Welden ask their subjects to be merry at Beaux Arts Krewe Ball (Scribblers photos)

Reigning over the of the 46th annual Beaux Arts Krewe Ball on Feb. 8 was Lenora Ireland Brown, daughter of Nonie and Dr. Tom Tartt Brown Jr. The identity of the queen is kept a secret until the night of the ball when she makes her appearance in the ballroom at Boutwell Auditorium.

After she made her grand entrance, Queen Nonie and King Edgar Welden ascended the stage to their thrones, and the pageantry began.

Queen Nonie wore the dress of a dear family friend, the late Barbara Shook. The gown was worn by Barbara’s daughter, Elesabeth, when Elesabeth was the queen of the Beaux Arts Krewe Ball in 1981. The dress was donated to the Birmingham Museum of Art.

The Krewe Ball benefits the Birmingham Museum of Art.

The ladies in waiting were Lindsey Badham, Comer Crockard and Annie and Maxwell Thompson.

Queen Nonie’s life revolves around her faith, her family and her friends. She is a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church and has made several mission trips. Queen Nonie is a junior at The University of Alabama and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She is majoring in Spanish and is a member of the President’s List, Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society, and Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization.

Queen Nonie is the granddaughter of and Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Ireland II and the late Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tartt Brown.. Royalty runs in the family. Her aunt, Mallie Ireland, was the queen of the Krewe in 1975; her aunt, Kacy Mitchell, was a lady in waiting in 1972, and her mother was a princess in the 1979 Krewe Ball.

The queen’s trainbearers were Billy Flowers, son of Beth and Ron Flowers, Guy Mitchell and Madeline Mitchell, children of Colin and Guy Mitchell, Gordy Morris, son of Rebecca and Ben Morris, Ella Pigford, daughter of Courtney and Jay Pigford, Marechal Sledge, daughter of Aubree and Edward Sledge, Sinclair Turner, daughter of Ashley and John Turner, and Katharine Grace Whatley, daughter of Mallie and Jay Whatley.